Rival executives sing same old song about Trae Young with Hawks at 'crossroads'

Former NBA point guard Austin Rivers turned heads when he said that only sees Atlanta Hawks star Trae Young playing in meaningless games.

That is a double dose of shade, but also telling about how the Hawks are viewed outside of their building, which can become an echo chamber in any situation. In a recent batch of intel from HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto, though, Rivers’ opinion is more prevalent than not.

According to Scotto, the Hawks value Young more than any other organization right now.

“The Atlanta Hawks are at a crossroads. The Hawks are not a playoff contender nor bad enough to tank for high lottery pick odds – though it didn’t stop them from improbably winning the lottery last year with only a three percent chance,” Scotto wrote on December 2.

“At this point, the Hawks value three-time All-Star Trae Young more than other teams around the league. Although Young leads the NBA in assists this season, the 26-year-old’s field goal percentage has been the worst of his career, and his three-point percentage and scoring are only slightly above his rookie season production. Teams across the league also cite Young’s shortcomings as a defender due to his size and whether you can advance far in the playoffs with him as one of your highest-paid stars, given the new collective bargaining agreement.”

None of that is surprising since they are all the same metrics Soaring Down South has highlighted regarding Young’s shooting. He has also been voted among the most overrated players before.

While we would expect his three-point efficiency to improve, this is a typical dip year for him.

However, the take also overlooks the context in which Young’s stats have tailed off this season because it began very similar to previous years. Young was putting up big numbers but the Hawks went 4-7 in those games.

Trae Young has taken a backseat intentionally

After a one-game absence, he has taken on more of a facilitator’s role, averaging 12.7 assists per game over his last nine appearances.

The Hawks are but 5-4 in that stretch but head coach Quin Snyder has praised Young's buy-in.

Young’s future was a major topic this offseason. He is in Year 3 of a five-year, $215.1 million contract and will be extension-eligible after the season. The Hawks retooled the roster around Young’s skillset this offseason, adding improved length.

However, they are also built to support another star or work through a youth movement if they decide to pivot with  Young’s 2026-27 player option looming as large as a potential extension.

The Hawks are 10-11 entering play on Monday.

They were 9-12 in 2023-24, and there are two ways one could view that. The Hawks improved, albeit ever so slightly, despite trading Dejounte Murray during the offseason and not receiving an All-Star in return.

On the other hand, trying to fit the roster around Young leaves the Hawks limited in options and playing style even if his defense has been better than advertised.

They are in a similar position after fixing what they thought was broken.

Still, Young has been nothing but bought in amid past rumors, and nothing he has said this season would seem to indicate that has changed. If the decision to trade Young is made, it will seemingly have to come from the Hawks.